5.19.2011 |
"Nobody Will Believe In You Unless You Believe In Yourself."
Nobody will believe in you unless you believe in yourself.”-Something I tell myself before I face my everyday-far from ordinary life. For 16 years my life had been picture perfect. I felt like the girl that everyone wanted to be: a top-level competitive gymnast, a dancer, cheerleader and member of many school sports teams and clubs... I felt like I had everything lined up for an amazing life...Until life threw me a huge curveball.
I began to lose weight, and very quickly. My straight A grades spiraled down to B’s and even C’s. The smart, enthusiastic, happy go lucky, hard working girl I used to be was slipping away. My attitude turned from bright and sunny to down in the dumps as fast as a bullet leaves a gun. My family, teachers, friends and coaches all knew something wasn’t right. Weeks and week’s drug on full of my frustration, confusion, and pure hatred for my life. One day my mom, a registered nurse, suddenly realized what might be the problem. She brought home a glucose meter. I could see her heart drop to the pit of her stomach, like an elevator falling to the bottom floor of a building when the meter read HIGH – meaning it exceeded the upper limits of the meter. Later on that night, after a two-hour cheerleading practice, and a band concert, my mom decided to take me to the ER. (Without dinner, I might add.)
When we got to the ER, my mom explained what had been going on to the doctors. They drew my blood, threw me into a room and ran a series of tests. The next thing I knew, there was a strange doctor in my room. He sat down, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, “Bailey, I am afraid you have Type One Diabetes.” My mom immediately burst into tears. I didn’t understand what was going on. Why was my mom crying- and what is this man rambling on about? It finally clicked in my head- I had Diabetes. My life as I knew it was over. I couldn’t hear a word anyone was saying. It was like my head was stuck in a bucket, and held under water. I was suffocating.
I spent the next week of my life in the hospital. My blood sugar was in the 400’s. A safe blood sugar is from 90 to 150. That week was very depressing, filled with doctors and nurses lecturing me about what I could and could not eat. People telling me what I could and couldn’t do. Nurses telling me that I could not be an athlete anymore because of my diabetes. My entire life was built around sports...my world crumbled down in front of my face. Words cannot describe the pain I felt.
As soon as I got out of the hospital, I went straight to work counting carbohydrates, testing my blood sugar levels 8 to 10 times a day, and overcoming my lifelong fear of needles. A week went by, and I started back into my usual routine again - school, homework, dance, church, gymnastics and so much more. Many people thought I couldn’t handle it. They said I had too much on my plate...Nobody believed that I could be the old Bailey again, because of my diabetes.
"Nobody will believe in you, unless you believe in yourself."
The old Bailey was slowly but surely coming out from the blanket of depression that engulfed my entire life. I got my butt into gear. I didn't care if I had diabetes, or not. I was going to be the best that I could be, whether people chose to believe in me, or not. I believed in myself; and I knew that anything was possible if I gave a 100% effort 100% of the time.
Not only was my new life a challenge physically, with hours upon hours spent at the gym, testing my blood sugar and having to sit out of practice when my blood sugar was dangerously low, but it was also a challenge mentally, having to deal with the fact that I was different. Having to count carbohydrates at every meal, take Insulin shots and deal with doctors and the stress of having to have a perfect blood sugar in order to be able to go on with life.
Diabetes has been a major struggle in my life. I have been bullied about it, left out because of it, and at times have been very self-conscious about it. But I told myself when I got diagnosed that I would never let Diabetes hold me back in life. This past summer I was told I could not be a life guard at a local water park because of my medical condition. Let me tell you, that was not OK. And I am happy to say that I worked as a life guard at that water park the entire summer! Before I was diagnosed, I felt like I was a superstar, like I was on top of cloud 9. Now that I look back, my life really wasn't as great as I thought it was. I was doing all of those great things-yes, but with no story behind it, no wow factor.
I have accomplished so many great things since my diagnoses in 2011. I competed in local and regional power lifting meets and took 7th place in the 2011 Texas State Power Lifting Championship. I completed in the Pre-Elite level of AGA Gymnastics – the second highest level of elite gymnasts. I travelled to London, England with my high school marching band and marched in the Queen's New Year's Day Parade. I was very honored to receive an award from the Wichita Falls School Board for my successful high school athletic career. I have successfully completed dual-credit college courses, honors classes and three years of Spanish with A's and B's. The list goes on and on. I am living, breathing proof that any and everything is possible, despite your disabilities. If you believe in yourself, you can not only achieve your goals, but set new records, like I did in the 2011 Graham Power lifting Invitational.
My entire life, I have held leadership positions. I have had many opportunities make an impression on others and to share my knowledge with my peers and those I instructed. But now, as a diabetic, I feel as if the double-doors of opportunity have swung wide open. I have so much more to offer now than I ever have before. Diabetes has taught me a great deal about myself, and others. I have the personal responsibility to take care of myself and be the best that I can be, and to remain honest with myself about my condition and what I can and cannot do.
I feel that I can contribute to a diverse learning environment because of my background. I have so much experience in so many different areas such as student counsel, sports clubs, bible clubs, academic clubs, and so much more. I believe that I stand out. And what better way to live life than to be the one standing out, and being a leader? Throughout life we all go through struggles. But how we over come life’s difficulties and go on with our life is what makes us into the people we are today.
I have believed in myself. I will continue to believe and I will accomplish great things.
I began to lose weight, and very quickly. My straight A grades spiraled down to B’s and even C’s. The smart, enthusiastic, happy go lucky, hard working girl I used to be was slipping away. My attitude turned from bright and sunny to down in the dumps as fast as a bullet leaves a gun. My family, teachers, friends and coaches all knew something wasn’t right. Weeks and week’s drug on full of my frustration, confusion, and pure hatred for my life. One day my mom, a registered nurse, suddenly realized what might be the problem. She brought home a glucose meter. I could see her heart drop to the pit of her stomach, like an elevator falling to the bottom floor of a building when the meter read HIGH – meaning it exceeded the upper limits of the meter. Later on that night, after a two-hour cheerleading practice, and a band concert, my mom decided to take me to the ER. (Without dinner, I might add.)
When we got to the ER, my mom explained what had been going on to the doctors. They drew my blood, threw me into a room and ran a series of tests. The next thing I knew, there was a strange doctor in my room. He sat down, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, “Bailey, I am afraid you have Type One Diabetes.” My mom immediately burst into tears. I didn’t understand what was going on. Why was my mom crying- and what is this man rambling on about? It finally clicked in my head- I had Diabetes. My life as I knew it was over. I couldn’t hear a word anyone was saying. It was like my head was stuck in a bucket, and held under water. I was suffocating.
I spent the next week of my life in the hospital. My blood sugar was in the 400’s. A safe blood sugar is from 90 to 150. That week was very depressing, filled with doctors and nurses lecturing me about what I could and could not eat. People telling me what I could and couldn’t do. Nurses telling me that I could not be an athlete anymore because of my diabetes. My entire life was built around sports...my world crumbled down in front of my face. Words cannot describe the pain I felt.
As soon as I got out of the hospital, I went straight to work counting carbohydrates, testing my blood sugar levels 8 to 10 times a day, and overcoming my lifelong fear of needles. A week went by, and I started back into my usual routine again - school, homework, dance, church, gymnastics and so much more. Many people thought I couldn’t handle it. They said I had too much on my plate...Nobody believed that I could be the old Bailey again, because of my diabetes.
"Nobody will believe in you, unless you believe in yourself."
The old Bailey was slowly but surely coming out from the blanket of depression that engulfed my entire life. I got my butt into gear. I didn't care if I had diabetes, or not. I was going to be the best that I could be, whether people chose to believe in me, or not. I believed in myself; and I knew that anything was possible if I gave a 100% effort 100% of the time.
Not only was my new life a challenge physically, with hours upon hours spent at the gym, testing my blood sugar and having to sit out of practice when my blood sugar was dangerously low, but it was also a challenge mentally, having to deal with the fact that I was different. Having to count carbohydrates at every meal, take Insulin shots and deal with doctors and the stress of having to have a perfect blood sugar in order to be able to go on with life.
Diabetes has been a major struggle in my life. I have been bullied about it, left out because of it, and at times have been very self-conscious about it. But I told myself when I got diagnosed that I would never let Diabetes hold me back in life. This past summer I was told I could not be a life guard at a local water park because of my medical condition. Let me tell you, that was not OK. And I am happy to say that I worked as a life guard at that water park the entire summer! Before I was diagnosed, I felt like I was a superstar, like I was on top of cloud 9. Now that I look back, my life really wasn't as great as I thought it was. I was doing all of those great things-yes, but with no story behind it, no wow factor.
I have accomplished so many great things since my diagnoses in 2011. I competed in local and regional power lifting meets and took 7th place in the 2011 Texas State Power Lifting Championship. I completed in the Pre-Elite level of AGA Gymnastics – the second highest level of elite gymnasts. I travelled to London, England with my high school marching band and marched in the Queen's New Year's Day Parade. I was very honored to receive an award from the Wichita Falls School Board for my successful high school athletic career. I have successfully completed dual-credit college courses, honors classes and three years of Spanish with A's and B's. The list goes on and on. I am living, breathing proof that any and everything is possible, despite your disabilities. If you believe in yourself, you can not only achieve your goals, but set new records, like I did in the 2011 Graham Power lifting Invitational.
My entire life, I have held leadership positions. I have had many opportunities make an impression on others and to share my knowledge with my peers and those I instructed. But now, as a diabetic, I feel as if the double-doors of opportunity have swung wide open. I have so much more to offer now than I ever have before. Diabetes has taught me a great deal about myself, and others. I have the personal responsibility to take care of myself and be the best that I can be, and to remain honest with myself about my condition and what I can and cannot do.
I feel that I can contribute to a diverse learning environment because of my background. I have so much experience in so many different areas such as student counsel, sports clubs, bible clubs, academic clubs, and so much more. I believe that I stand out. And what better way to live life than to be the one standing out, and being a leader? Throughout life we all go through struggles. But how we over come life’s difficulties and go on with our life is what makes us into the people we are today.
I have believed in myself. I will continue to believe and I will accomplish great things.